Love Story in College

Chapter 16

Since that Wednesday, ten days have passed.

Two hundred and forty hours.

Had he noticed the way time passed, it would have been the second Friday since then. As Banri headed to the staff room, his gym bag was draped over his uniformed shoulder, an unvoiced chill running down his back.

The school building in mid-winter, past 19:00, quietly began to darken and cool. The other students are no longer visible. All the lights had been turned off except for the staff room, and were walking alone in the corridor of his slippery legs lit by green emergency lights.

Along with Banri's step, the key to the club room in his hand clinks. From the colors green and yellow, it seems that when the two plastic labels hit each other they made a sound. It was a small voice, he had not noticed it before.

Counting and inspecting equipment after club activities, which is responsible for returning the club room keys to the staff room after everyone has left, is what in the runners club is referred to as the "Last Act", according to the statement", and the second years come in turns in doing so. Until now Banri has done it many times, but maybe it is the first time he has done it himself.

Maybe, or rather, for sure. That was the first time.

Banri's feet stopped for a moment. Until now, Linda has always gone with him at all times. When Banri becomes Last Act, Linda goes with him.

It's been ten days since then. It had already been a few days since he had come to ignore Linda.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, opening week, Monday, Tuesday, second Wednesday, with Thursday, and today Friday — counting them inside his head as if to be sure, he said, his feet moved again. As he stepped forward, he grabbed the rope onto his slipping bag, putting it back down with a snort. It will be like this from now on, he decided. . . . Thinking about it over and over again, as if convincing himself, was strangely disappointing.

Telling himself that he would not feel anything, Banri firmly closed his slightly chapped lips. Remain uninterested, be quiet, he will do what he has decided. Alone, firm, he raised his eyes.

He would never, not next time, say another word to Linda. He wouldn't care about Hayashida Nana.

The door of the staff room opened due to her gentle knock and she walked in.

For Banri, who had been walking alone in the cold dark corridor, the light was too bright. It blinded his eyes. And the heat works too hard, which makes the air too dry. Blinking repeatedly, he hung the key on the wall right next to where he entered.

"I'm sorry, I came back from a running cluub. Thank you very much."

Dipping his head towards the apathetic sound of the teacher, without stopping to beat, he came out as if being pulled from behind and closed the door.

And again, the corridor was cold, dark, silent. The midwinter world.

The Last Act mission today is done with that.

Again alone in the corridor, Banri took a small breath without noticing it. She wrapped the wool scarf around her neck into the mouth like a girl, and tied it behind her neck.

Even if Shizuoka is a relatively warm place, it's February.

Outside the sun had set some time ago, and it was probably cold. When he looked at the window glass, he saw from the raindrops sticking one after another, as if drawing sharp diagonal lines, that at some point it had even started raining. With a thirty percent rain prediction, he carried a folding umbrella.

Continuing down the dark stairs to the entrance, Banri descends carefully so as not to stumble. For the still-dead landing, only the sound of rubber soles slippers straddling the edges of metal steps, clips, clapping, resounded very clearly.

The last act of Wednesday was Linda. . . . She wondered if Linda had also heard a silly voice at a time like this. At least his ears were covered in echoes.

— I'm not in love with Banri!

"…"

Shouted by Linda, such were the words that echoed.

Although he did not want to remember them, they returned to mind once again, of course. Placing his eyes down, when he reached out to grab the handle, his fingertips were suddenly stung by static electricity. Surprised by the pain, Banri raised his hand from the cold metal. Whatisit? He muttered to himself with a frown. While sulking, he stuffed his two cold hands into his pocket.

What the fuck.

What, what the fuck.

From that day on, that was all Banri thought about. What, what the fuck. It continued to weigh itself down, and in the deep darkness, among the many careless comments, and those who acted foolishly even, he gradually forgot how to go with the flow.

Last Wednesday, Banri was waiting on the stairs for Linda to come out carrying the room key as the Last Act.

But Linda was still there, probably chatting merrily with the other girls, not moving at all. So Banri, who was getting impatient, thought he would go back to the room and call her to make a move.

As soon as he stood in front of the thin door, he could clearly hear the sound of the girls' high-pitched laughter on the other side, and mixed between them was Linda's voice as well, shouting, "How'this?"

Saying "of course not," while half in awe, she held the doorknob, ready to turn it around, and,

"Eh, you're kidding me! Are we wrong !?"

"But we all thought Linda-senpai and Banri-senpai were dating!"

He became unable to move.

Banri, standing there alone, even foolishly, paralyzed, his eyes widened as if he had just been given an electric shock. The voices were from first-year girls, he thought. Butwhat? In what world were they suddenly talking about?

Although he had no intention of eavesdropping, he could hear everything from the start, the thin door did not give any soundproofing effect at all. In Banri's ear, the conversation of the girls. . is what you call 'talking girl', and for men, it just goes straight in one ear and out the other.

Shouldn't a man move? Still confused, he thought so in honesty, but,

"Well I think so, or rather I 'think' so! Why did you hide it ~ !?"

"really, really. You guys are so close, you look like the perfect couple, and you're always the most incredible. Doesn't it look like you're having fun hanging out together !? There is no way you won't be dating! "

Banri was still in the same poze, the doorknob in hand and was about to turn it around, but he was still unable to move.

He wanted to answer, ". It's not like that! It couldn't be more impossible!" but he could not muster a voice to say it, standing there upright, gasping for nothing.

They think she and Linda are dating.

That was quite a surprise.

But that kind of thing. Linda and herself are dating. It's me, and it's Linda. Seen as a couple. For Banri, it was something completely unexpected.

To be sure, she and Linda were quite close. Surprisingly, they get along well. Their sense of humor explodes randomly, the fun they have when they are together, and the conversation and mood as well, as if they are responding to each other. Constantly looking after each other without any objections, it felt comfortable with Linda. So whether it's in the classroom, the clubroom, wherever or whenever, the first thing Banri does is look for Linda.

But, he thought it was only that far.

That, of course, Linda is the opposite sex. He knows it. She chick. He understands that. He is not the same as his male friend. Her long hair was smooth, her white skin was smooth as well, and her way of running was pretty. He even wanted to stare silently at her, frowning in laughter. In his mouth too. Especially the area where her skin met her lips. Linda's lips, with their bright pink color, indeed, with a soft look, they were completely different from mine. He even imagined what they would be like if he touched them. Other people have never, not for a second thought of such things.

But, because of that. . because of that .

. . . That?

Trying to think, Banri held his breath.

All the reasons she had never dated Linda, and it was impossible from the start, now that she had said it, they were nowhere.

Because they followed what they were doing, and were really close, it wasn't too strange that it came to this.

In fact, from near such a thing.

Linda is beautiful and. . .

"What …!?"

"What …!?"

By the time he suddenly realized the possibility he had not realized existed until now, Banri's cheeks suddenly turned red in anger.

If he could see it, they would turn into a bright red fireball. Suddenly he was also hot around his eyelids. It seems his eyelashes are on fire. Attacked by the ferocious turmoil of uncertain meaning, Banri held the doorknob as if attached to it, lifting up his body which began to tremble. Suddenly, the ground swayed to match the way his heart started beating like crazy. He realized that his brain seemed to be boiling.

Unable to understand, closed his eyes without thinking,

"Cut it! It! Get out! What are you guys !? Are you an idiot !?"

He heard Linda's voice.

It was as if his entire body had become ears. No, rather, he's a human parabolic antenna. Her entire body is given the ability to accept, she directs herself towards Linda through the door that separates them.

Realizing that he was becoming desperate, Banri asked himself, "Can this be real?"

He suddenly became like this just by being made aware. To her, as if Linda's smile floated in her mind, her brightness slightly blurred, as if melting. I am a simple person.

"But Banri and I are not like that! We get along well, or rather, somehow I have to look after her! See, Banri is unreliable, or rather, he doesn't act like a man! So you could say I can't leave him alone! "

"Ah yes, ah yes .." they said, in a tone of voice as if they were teasing their respected senpai Linda, several girls joined together in falsetto.

"Now, I, understand, you mean. You said you can't leave Banri-senpai alone because you like her!"

For him, the temperature in his brain had increased to its limit.

Banri had forgotten even to breathe. His heart was pumping his blood like crazy, beating very fast and strange. Linda likes it, wow.

No way, no way. . .

"You're wrong! For one thing, I don't even see the man as a man! In other words, it's not like that!"

"…"

He said, "What?" but there were so many stupid voices coming out simultaneously that regardless of the sound he made, they were still not aware of his presence.

Linda's voice, her words, of course she had heard it clearly. With their proper meaning and intention,

"I don't like him!"

— This time, cold oxygen suddenly penetrated deep into his brain cells.

What his eyes were opening, even he did not understand. For a moment, Banri even forgot where he was.

Standing alone, it suddenly felt like he was thrown into the air.

As if it was impossible to resist, he was suddenly gripped as if by the claws of an eagle and was thrown high with all his strength. Then,

"That's us again! You're just shy, don't you really like it?"

"No way, you're wrong! I don't like that guy!"

And then only the fall to the earth remains.

Would it be said that without a safety net, he would hit so hard that he would die and the crash site would be impossible to find?

"Your blood went up all at once to your head, but now it's falling back to your feet just as fast. I think you're gonna be a little pale."

"Your blood went up all at once to your head, but now it's falling back to your feet just as fast. I think you're gonna be a little pale."

"I don't love Banri at all!"

Door knobs feel warm.

No .

Fingers grabbed him, they were too cold.

What, what the fuck.

He felt it suddenly calm down inside his chest. . . . What, what the fuck. What the hell is he doing? That's not him. Alone, flying high to fit him. Roughly up and down. Diving, unable to avoid noise. And even now, he could not move.

Not even for a few seconds, but how do you like my stupidity in bouncing light, high in the air? Its simplicity. Acting like that is a big misunderstanding. A giant misunderstanding. He's ashamed of everything, and damned. He could not help but be disgusting. Too indecent to see. An overly conspicuous exercise in futility. A sharp and stabbing pain.

Banri, without realizing it, bit his lips firmly and raised his face. Lifting his uniformed shoulders, he inhaled, went in and out. His parents' expectations were excessive. The entire time since he entered high school, Banri's building hasn't grown any bigger. Well, he's still growing. Although it might not look like it, he was taller than last year.

Besides, especially. This .

Things like .

But this .

She doesn't like things like this with Linda.

He understood how the woman might not want to say that she did not like him, or such things, directly.

It just, it,

"… Unreliable, not manly, difficult to watch out …"

He muttered to himself as if he was spouting words, and the door to the room suddenly opened from within, almost at the same time. When the first-year girls saw Banri standing there, they gasped.

Inside the room were three first-year girls, and Linda.

He didn't see Linda's face.

Banri immediately turned around and walked away, as if leaving a strange silence.

Not looking back even once, not running, changing shoes on a shoe rack, he left school.

In the time it takes him to reach the first traffic light, he has to tell himself to stop saying "Linda" twice. Stop worrying about him. So he decided.

If he doesn't like me, I'll be fine. She wonders if after all it will be a non-relationship, with Linda not caring at all. He wondered if he would think about it at all. If it turns out like that, it's fine. Completely forgotten, made into something that never existed. Even here, he did not want to beg someone who did not like him to keep on good terms with him.

In fact, he was exasperated, as he was ashamed of his being by his side, not guessing what he might think of him, without even hesitating, making that face as if it was his right.

So Banri thought. Unexpectedly it was a clown. For more than two years, Linda, while acting friendly on the surface, when she saw him deep down thinking he was a man she didn't like.

(As for the precious time you spent watching over me even though you disliked me, I'm so sorry it has become a problem for you! Please, from now on, spend your life time in the man you love!)

— Shaking things up and leaving everything behind, Banri ran on his way home, as if he was running away. Banri's view of the world went blank, as if someone had painted it in white.

It's been like that for ten days now.

Linda, for the past ten days has been trying to call him cheerfully, "Yo Banri!", Trying to call him gently, "Hey, Banri ...", trying to call him indirectly, "You want candy?" , trying to call him directly "About what happened yesterday ..", trying to call him by email "Good efforts at today's club activities -" and even tried to use his brother like a caveman messenger sent from the forest to call him, "Uvoi! How are you doing !? What is done !? Oh, want a banana !?" After all, he was free to use all sorts of methods to try and establish communication with Banri.

Banri ignored them all.

The reason for that was because he had decided not to do anything else with her.

Banri ignored them all.

The reason for that was because he had decided not to do anything else with her.

"… Ugh. They're cold, of course …!"

Wearing his shoes to walk home, Banri has completed the Last Act today alone, he went through the deserted student entrance.

Just then, blown onto his face by the cold winter wind from the north, the freezing raindrops made him gasp.

She opened her cheap umbrella, but it was better than nothing, and was actually a folding umbrella that was quite complete with a flapping sound. It happened when he went down three steps and turned towards the school gate.

The wind blew the rain under the roof to the side of the stairs.

Standing alone in the icy darkness, there were no umbrellas to look at, in a dark green wool coat like a blackboard.

It was as if the lighting was faintly the darkness of the night, a snow-white face.

"…"

"…"

Standing up at the sight of Banri, Linda opened her mouth as if struggling to do so, but in the end she said nothing. Banri also said nothing.

Still without a word, a few seconds passed. The two who were friends until ten days before, both of them stared at their feet.

The one who moved forward was Banri.

Hiding his face in the middle of his dark blue umbrella, not wanting him to realize that he had stopped, he stepped out forcefully. He passed Linda's side. Leaving him, he continued forward. He decided not to look back.

However, a small voice called out Banri's name.

Perhaps due to the winter, Linda's voice seemed to tremble as if it was being over-pressed.

Banri's feet stopped.

. . . Does he have an umbrella?

Still not turning around, at night amidst the raindrops, she heard Linda's breath behind her.

He wondered how long he had been there. He wondered if he had been waiting for her. In a cold place, alone. — For the sake of a man he does not like, why?

Does he want an umbrella?

Banri looked at the folding umbrella whose handle was held tightly in his hand. She thought there was no way Linda would come under this umbrella like a friend.

But if he wants to, he can. Even for unrelated people, that much kindness is fine.

There, a troubled, foreign girl, who was not related to him, disliked or hated him, not a friend or even an acquaintance, stood in the cold winter rain. In such a case, there is reason to be kind, Banri thought.

But still did not mind to say anything, Banri turned around. Once he handed over the umbrella, he intended to escape at once.

Her hair was wet from the rain, Linda looked at Banri. He's been watching the whole time. His two dark eyes, silently, glittered weakly, like raindrops at night. Slowly, as if he was slowly starting to dissolve, Banri involuntarily forgot to breathe.

But, not for long.

Slowly, his lips began to move,